POLS 150 Democracy in America
studies American political and social institutions primarily through the
political thought, writings and speeches of three categories of people: 1)the
nation's founders and the framers of the Declaration of Independence and
the U.S. Constitution whose work structures the political controversies
reappearing through subsequent generations; 2) office-holders who bore
responsibility for dealing with these controversies and who both changed and preserved
constitutional institutions and democratic thought and practice; and 3)
influential non-office holders whose thought helped shape public opinion,
social change and law and whose thought provided insight into both the goodness
and badness of American democracy. Among the latter, Tocqueville's commentary,
still (160 years after its publication) commonly regarded as the best ever
written, gives this course its name and spirit.

WHY A CONSTITUTIONAL AND DEMOCRATIC
FOCUS?

Emphasis is placed on the Constitution
because, as the central legitimating symbol of American political life,
citizens need to understand how it frames political controversy and how it
influences political and social change. To that end, we will study important
debates concerning both democratic institutions and the meaning of liberty
and equality from the Founding until now. Such debates include whether
we needed a national government and how the framers thought it could be kept
from being oppressive; disputes about what political/economic conditions make
American democracy possible; successive waves of controversies about whether
the suffrage (voting rights) should be expanded; about whether the
Founder's Constitution was democratic; about whether it was a slave or a free
Constitution; about whether it recognized the humanity of the Negro, as
African-Americans were then called; about whether the national government
should regulate the economy and provide welfare; disputes about what democratic
representation is; whether separation of powers prevents democracy or makes it
possible; whether religion is an indispensable political institution or a
persistent political problem; what makes one a citizen; what law-abidingness
means and whether it is or is not a duty; and the relation of women to
democratic government and society.

The persistent and over-arching
theme of the class will be the disputed question "what is
democracy"? In keeping with it's disputed nature,
we will study a range of opposing answers. Considerable attention will be given
to the perennial dispute about whether democracy, in the most humanly
relevant and ennobling sense, is possible primarily through local institutions
(as maintained in the American political tradition by the anti-Federalists and
Tocqueville); or whether it is possible primarily through national institutions
(as maintained generally by the Progressives, the New Deal, and the Great
Society). This dispute turns on whether democracy is understood to involve (or
be) primarily "self government" in that oneself and ones neighbors
are primarily responsible for solving the day to day problems of living
together (as the Jeffersonian tradition down to the Republican contract with
America maintains); or whether democracy is understood to involve (or be) a
greater degree of national-level government to regulate the nations economy in
order to promote “economic democracy” and secure rights (as the Hamiltonian
tradition down to modern “civil liberties” and “civil rights” maintains).

Both this over-arching theme and
the nature of the readings present a distinctive approach to American democracy
and government. The approach is historical, cultural, and philosophic,
particularly emphasizing the mutual interdependence of governmental and social
institutions. It is further distinguished by it's
purpose which (unlike POLS 100) is not specifically to introduce students to
the sub-field of American politics, or even to the political science
major\minor (although it does that). It is aimed at all students whether or not
they enter the course intending further study of political science. It's aim is deepening citizen's understanding and
awareness of, persistent issues, arguments, and themes of American
democracy's development.

TEXT AND READINGS

All students are required to purchase their own copy of each
of the following. They are available in both bookstores although Village
Commons has more of #1.

C.At the Founding: How the
Founders distinguished between two kinds of “popular governments”:"democracy" and
"republic." The problem of “faction” in “popular
governments” and the Founders’ solution.Federalist Papers
(1787-88) #10 in Lawler, pp. 15-21; #39, in Lawler, pp. 45-49. #14 in RP,
p. 161. #63 in RP, p. 60-61.

6. Are any principled limits on the right to vote consistent with democracy,

in terms
either of rights or of practice?

a) DA, pp. 197-203.

b) “The Motor-voter Act” (1994) Carol
Moseley-Braun in RP pp.59-60.

10/7

PAPER ASSIGNED. Due
10/19.

7.
Who/what should voters have a right to vote for (directly)?

a)The
Constitution's answer:they should be
able to vote for their representatives, but not directly for laws. andRP pp. 60-61.

1)Why
was the Senate originally selected by state legislatures and why was that
changed by the 17th Amendment? Federalist Papers #63, Lawler pp.84-86.

2) Why is the President elected
through the "Electoral College" rather than through "direct
popular election?" U.S.
Constitution, Article II, Section 1, Clauses 2-4 and Amendment XII in Lawler p.
367-68, 374-75.

3) Why is the Supreme Court appointed
rather than elected? Federalist Papers

#78, Lawler, pp.
108-09, 112-13.

b)The
Progressive's: voters should be able to legislate directly (initiative

2. The distinction between
"federal" and "national." Federalist Papers #39 in
Lawler pp.46-49. Important terms: "the federal government", "the
national government," "thegeneral government," "sovereignty," "division of
sovereignty".

1.
Classroom behavior. Courtesy and regard for one another should guide
classroom behavior. Students are expected to be in class when class begins.
Please do not come late to class. Lateness is inconsiderate and disruptive. The
instructor will be on time.Please pay
him the same courtesy. If it becomes necessary, students who come late may be
barred from class. Occasional lapses can happen to anyone and will be
overlooked presuming an explanation and apology presented after class. Please
consult with him if a schedule problem effects your
ability to meet this requirement. In general, if you get to class late, it is
more considerate and less disruptive if you do not enter the room.

Students
are expected to be attentive to the lectures and discussions. Students who sleep, read the newspaper, persistently talk
with other students or are otherwise inattentive to the lectures and discussion
will be asked to leave the class and will be subject to being administratively
dismissed from the course at the instructors request.

2.
Attendance.Attendance at each
class is both expected and required.Attendance will be taken at most classes after the first few days.Being in attendance is operationally defined
as beingpresentwhenattendanceis takenatthebeginningofclass and remaining until class is
dismissed.Students who come to class
after attendance has been taken, that is after they have been marked absent,
will be considered absent. No distinction is made between excused and unexcused
absences. However, absences should be explained in writing on the first class
you return.A record of such
explanations will be kept and that record could be beneficial at final grading
time.Students who have extended
absences due to illness should notify the instructor as promptly as possible
during the absence and produce a doctors note
indicating the nature and duration of the illness.This note should be presented at the first
class upon returning.Extended absences
are regarded as not fulfilling course requirements and, unless justified with
appropriate documentation, will adversely effect the
final grade.(See section 7 below.)

3.
Texts.Since classes are usually conducted
by reading and discussing passages from the assigned readings, it is required
that you bring the appropriate readings to each class. To that end, it is
required that each student have his or her own copy of each text.

4.
Class Preparation.The best way
to prepare for each class is to do the readings at least once (some require
more than one reading) prior to the first day we begin each unit.You will be much better able to participate
in and to grasp the class discussions if you have done so.

5.
Good note taking is important to your success in this class.Learn to listen carefully to the arguments
made and write them down as best you can. Review your notes after class to see
if they make sense.By reviewing them
soon after they are taken, sometimes you can remember things that will make
sense out of what is confusing.Get
together with other students periodically to go over each others notes.If you got 50% of the lecture and your study
partners got 50%, perhaps between you will have 75%.What remains unclear can be discussed with the
instructor.One of the important
suggestions I can make is to be sure to write down the questions asked by other
students and my answers. Otherwise, if you write down only my answers, it will
be meaningless since you will lack the question to which it is an answer.I frequently use students’ questions as a
vehicle to make important points so if you write down their questions, as well
as my answers, you will benefit.

6.
Class Participation.The proper kind
of participation in the class is expected, required and rewarded.Participation means that students demonstrate
that they are trying to under stand the arguments being made both in the
readings and in the lectures, by asking questions or making comments which show
problems with the arguments and by responding to questions which the instructor
raises.Some classes will be mainly
lecture and discussion.Others will
involve reading and discussing passages from the readings. It is important that
you understand the sort of participation expected because some students think
that merely talking fulfills this expectation. It does not. The kind of talking
that does is that which fulfills the purposes of participation which are
threefold: 1) to enable students to raise questions concerning the meaning of
the lectures which shows that they are following the arguments being made
enough to see the difficulties; 2) to show that they have read the texts before
coming to class and seen enough to identify things that they do not understand
or that seem not to "make sense"; 3) to relate different arguments,
passages and insights from both texts and lectures to each other. The kind of
participation expected is one which shows that you are trying to understand
what the whole picture looks like, what each part looks like, and how the parts
fit into that whole.

7.
Study Groups. Success in college, at least in demanding courses, is
facilitated by the formation and regular meeting of study groups. This class
will encourage such formation and will appoint a graduate
students to assist those of you who wish to make use of this
opportunity. But you must take the initiative and organize the group.

One
value of a study group is that you help fill in each others notes (if you got
50% of what was said in class and the others a similar percentage, among you you may have 75%). Another value of a study group is that
you discover what you do not quite understand when you try to explain it to
each other. A third value is that, by working together, some of you will become
friends.

8.
Grading.Final course grades are
based on all of the required written work, the regularity and quality of class
participation and, to a lesser extent, on attendance.There will be several (about 5) short quizzes
(which cumulatively equal one exam grade), a 3 pp. paper, a mid term anda finalexam (both in class).No percentage of the overall grade is
assigned to any of these tests of learning.However, no one can receive a final course grade that is more than one
grade higher than the final exam grade.The quizzes are over the reading and lectures for the preceding week.
The exams require demonstration of the ability to understand the arguments
studied and the ability to state and evaluate them in good standard
English. Ability to use English with precision and care reflects the capacity
to think and communicate clearly and will accordingly improve your examination
grade.And conversely.Learn key vocabulary terms.

In
determining the final course grade, students with 5 or more absences may have
their final grade lowered.Aside from
grading consequences which might follow from students being administratively
dismissed from the course, the instructor does not give a formal grade or
assign a specific percentage of the final grade for class participation.However, he reserves the right to raise a students final grade, if he judges a particular student's
participation to have been exceptionally good.Grades are not lowered merely for lack of active class participation.

MISCELLANEOUS
POLICIES

1.
Papers.The paper is due on the
date specified.Late papers will be
accepted up to 3 days after the due date.However, you should expect them to be docked one letter grade for each
day they are late.

2.
Make-up quizzes\exams.A make-up
quiz or exam will be given only with adequate documentation that the absence
was unavoidable.The make-up exams are
sufficiently more difficult than the original that prudent people will avoid
them where possible.

3.
Appointments.The instructor will
make every reasonable effort to be available to you.If you cannot come during his scheduled
office hours, please call to schedule a mutually convenient appointment.(Both his office number and phone number are
at the beginning of the syllabus). Please do not stop by his office without an
appointment.If you cannot reach him by
phone, leave a message for him to call you on his voice mail or his e-mail. The
message should include times when you are likely to be reachable.Please do not call his home.